This position is part of the Naval Reactors Laboratory Field Office, Department of Energy.
NNSA Demonostration Project:
This position is covered by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Demonstration Project. The NQ-02 pay band is equivalent to the GS-9 to GS-12 grade levels, the NQ-03 is equivalent to the GS-13 to GS-14 grade levels. For more information on the NNSA Demonstration Project & Pay Band/Salary Tables, contact the HR Consultant listed on this vacancy announcement.
Summary
This position is part of the Naval Reactors Laboratory Field Office, Department of Energy.
NNSA Demonostration Project:
This position is covered by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Demonstration Project. The NQ-02 pay band is equivalent to the GS-9 to GS-12 grade levels, the NQ-03 is equivalent to the GS-13 to GS-14 grade levels. For more information on the NNSA Demonstration Project & Pay Band/Salary Tables, contact the HR Consultant listed on this vacancy announcement.
This position is announced under Direct Hire Authority. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply under the Direct Hire process.
Performs various pre-award and post-award functions involving contract negotiation, award administration, termination, and closeout pertaining to the placement of prime contracts.
Provide assistance in oversight of prime contractors' operations in contracting as well as for the operation of these functions within the field office.
Be responsible for oversight functions include review of significant subcontracting actions prior to execution. Contracts and subcontracts involve procurement of nuclear and highly specialized components from an extremely limited vendor base involving negotiations with sole source suppliers.
Be required to communicate frequently, orally and in writing, to senior management, technical and business stakeholders as well as contractor and subcontractor personnel.
As a Contract Specialist, NQ-03, in addition to the above duties, you will:
Serve as a Senior Contract Specialist within the Contracts Division, Naval Reactors Laboratory Field Office.
Perform and oversee actions taken by other specialists involving prime contract pre-award and post-award functions, which include, contract planning, negotiation, award, administration, termination, and closeout.
Be responsible for focused oversight of operating contractor procurement activities, including review and approval of subcontracts.
Serve as a Contracting Officer with warrant authority.
Provide expert knowledge to Contract Division's management regarding utilization of small businesses and other procurement matters.
Coordinate programs/projects and provide technical division guidance and advice to lower-level specialists.
This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service. See www.sss.gov.
You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final DOE L level security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment may be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or pass the test. You will be subject to random testing.
A one year probationary period may be required. Employees serving on probationary period may be terminated at any time during the probationary for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
Probationary periods are required for new employees appointed to competitive service positions for the first time.
Reinstated employees who returned to Federal service after a break in service of 30-days or more and who have not completed a probation will be required to complete a new probationary period.
Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification.
Your answers to the essay questions will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
This position does not support 100% remote work. You will be required to report physically to the official reporting worksite as specified in this announcement. Situational telework may be approved.
This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to applicant testing and random drug testing. Failure to test or a positive result on random drug tests conducted after appointment may result in removal from Federal employment.
Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations.
If an applicant submits a resume that is longer than two pages, only the first two pages will be reviewed and considered for eligibility and qualification determinations. Cover letters are optional and may be considered.
Qualifications
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
For the NQ-02:
A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07 or equivalent) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:
Knowledge of the principles, techniques, laws and regulations related to the negotiation and administration of firm-fixed price, fixed price incentive, cost-type and other Federal contracts.
Knowledge of negotiation techniques to lead and participate in contract negotiations.
Knowledge of business and management principles and practices to evaluate, monitor and maintain management control over contractors' performance.
Knowledge of DOE and DOD procurement policies and practices for the negotiation. administration and award of research and development, architect engineer, construction, and supply contracts.
Ability to present, both orally and in writing, technical and administrative information in a meaningful and understandable form.
OR
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D. To qualify for GS-1102 positions on the basis of graduate education, graduate education in or a combination of the following fields is required: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.
OR
Combination: Applicants may combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate education that equates to 100% of the requirements for the GS-9 (only graduate education in excess of 2 years, 36 semester hours, can be used towards crediting a combination of education and experience).
For the NQ-03:
Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to NQ-03 or higher-level contracting positions, including at least 4-years of experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, Specialized experience for this position is defined as:
Expert knowledge of contracting laws, regulations, principles, policies, and procedures to negotiate and administer contracts, and coordinate procurement functions of the office and of the prime contractors.
Ability to negotiate, defend, explain, and express facts and ideas inorder to influence, develop, and maintain internal and external networks.
Knowledge of special emphasis programs, such as Small and Disadvantaged Business considerations, Buy American policies, funding constraints, and numerous other considerations sufficient to assist other contract specialists in the evaluation of their impact on complex procurement transactions and to assure their use by prime contractors.
Must obtain FAC-C Level III Certification under the DOE Acquisition Career Management Program within 24 months of appointment.
Must meet education requirements.
There is no educational substitution for the NQ-03 level.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACT SPECIALIST:This position has an education requirement.
EDUCATION: You MUST provide transcripts to support your education claims. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. for more information on qualification requirements, please click OPM Qualification Standards.
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
For the NQ-02:
A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field;
or
At least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.
For the NQ-03:
Bachelor's Degree that included, or was supplemented by at least 24 hours in accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.
Exception: Employees in GS-1102 (or equivalent) positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. Proof that you meet this exception is required (via SF-50).
Additional information
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This position is announced under a government wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for Contract Specialist positions in the1102 series. Under the DHA, all applicants who meet the Qualification requirements listed in this announcement, at the grade level they are applying, will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply under the DHA process.
Appointments made under the DHA are processed as "new" appointments. Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probationary period (5 CFR 315.802(b).
Successful candidates will possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
Communication
Contracting/Procurement
Negotiation
Planning and Evaluating
THE APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS WILL BE IN TWO STAGES:
Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Office will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.
Structured Resume Review: The Human Resources Office will review the first two pages of your resume to determine your technical qualifications.
Federal employees eligible for career transition assistance plans such as CTAP, or ICTAP, requesting selection priority, must meet the Qualifications requirements listed in this announcement and be found "well qualified" for the position. Well-qualified is defined as: experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, including any selective factors, demonstrated by proficiency in most of the requirements of the job, requiring only limited training or orientation to perform effectively.
If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information.
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date 02/11/2026 of this announcement.
Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. Your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred.
If your resume is incomplete or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified'.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
To apply for this position, you MUSTprovide a complete application package which includes:
Your RESUMEshowing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
Transcripts, ifspecific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation,if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.
Naval Reactors will accept a resume in the format of your choice (as an attached document or as a USAJOBS Resume Builder format). You will be notified at the time you click 'Apply Online' which type of resume is acceptable. It is important that you are complete and thorough in your resume. If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement.
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
Naval Reactors Laboratory Field Office
814 Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard
West Mifflin, PA 15122
US
Next steps
Thank you for your interest in employment with DOE. We will notify you of your results once your application is reviewed.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you MUSTprovide a complete application package which includes:
Your RESUMEshowing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
Transcripts, ifspecific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation,if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.
Naval Reactors will accept a resume in the format of your choice (as an attached document or as a USAJOBS Resume Builder format). You will be notified at the time you click 'Apply Online' which type of resume is acceptable. It is important that you are complete and thorough in your resume. If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement.
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
Naval Reactors Laboratory Field Office
814 Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard
West Mifflin, PA 15122
US
Next steps
Thank you for your interest in employment with DOE. We will notify you of your results once your application is reviewed.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
